Why Doctor Who Will Not Recreate Dead Actors With CGI For Series 10 And Beyond

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story recreated Peter Cushing and Carrie Fisher with CGI. Now, they are bringing back dead actors to the big screen via technology has been a hot topic. But one person is opposed to the idea: Steven Moffat. The award-winning screenwriter revealed that the long-running sci-fi programme, Doctor Who, will not use CGI to resurrect people in Series 10 and beyond.

Wibbly-Wobbly Timeline

For Doctor Who, there are benefits to using CGI to bring back dead characters. The show follows a time-and-space traveling alien who constantly changes his face. He also has met a couple of wonderful and beloved people along his over fifty-year journey around the universe.

Often, he also encounters an old version (or versions) of himself. There has been plenty of instances wherein the Doctor had to work with (himself) to save the universe. In December 1972, the First, Second and Third Doctors needed to work together to save planet Earth. The Twentieth Anniversary Special titled The Five Doctors brought back the First, Second, Third and Fourth Doctors. It was during the Fifth Doctor’s run.

But when the episode was filmed in 1983, William Hartnell (First Doctor) has already passed away. CGI would have been useful during the time. Instead, BBC cast Richard Hurndall to replace the actor.

However, even if the technology was available then, the show might not use it to bring back Hartnell to the small screen. Doctor Who Magazine (via Digital Spy) asked Moffat whether the sci-fi show will take inspiration from Rogue One. Hartnell, Patrick Troughton (Second Doctor), Jon Pertwee (Third Doctor) and John Hurt (War Doctor) have passed away.

“Well, like every other Doctor Who fan, that was my first thought [when I saw Rogue One],” he wrote. “I’m fairly sure those are quite expensive movies and possibly that sort of thing might be a bit beyond us for now.” But even if the show could afford the technology, Moffat is dubious whether it can recapture the charm of each actor.

Doctor Who Series 10

However, that might change at some point. Moffat is stepping down as showrunner of Doctor Who after Series 10. Chris Chibnall of Broadchurch will take over the reigns of the TARDIS. Peter Capaldi (Twelfth Doctor) will also exit the show in this year’s Christmas special.

The next season will introduce Pearl Mackie as Bill, the new companion. Matt Lucas is also back as Nardole. He is a character who used to work for River Song (Alex Kingston) in The Husbands of River Song. Michelle Gomez will also return as Missy, the female and current incarnation of the Master.

Doctor Who Series 10 will have a total of 12 episodes. A Christmas special episode will debut after the 10th season. It will air in spring 2017 on BBC.